things like education. government regulation. in the states, in cities, governors, mayors, state legislatures are taking on those problems. and producing some quite innovative and quite effective responses. infrastructure is my favorite one. just because we sit around every year lamenting the gasoline tax is bringing in less money. there isn't enough money for road building anymore. at the federal level. in the states, they're coming up with reforms. virginia just overhauled its gas tax to raise more money for road building. chicago has this scheme to try and channel private money into -- not just road building, but all kinds of infrastructure investments. look around the country and you'll find lots of examples that if congress had its act together they could easily follow. >> ben smith, would you agree? >> i do think this is one of these classic things where washington gives itself too much credit and also, you know, either for destroying the economy or for rescuing it. i think if there's a recovery, barack obama will get 100%